Spring cushion structure for motor vehicles



W. A. CLARK SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE FOR MOTORVEHICLES April 14, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1951 m0 A M W ArfroR/gp w W. A. CLARK SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 31, 1951 April 14, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W/fl/a/n A, C/d/A' BY 6 6 ATTOR N E X April 14, 1953 w. A. CLARK SPRING cusmou STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1951 INVENTOR. W/Y/[dfl'l ,4. C/ark Y W W ATTORNEY,

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICE I SPRING CUSHION STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES William A. Clark, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 31, 1951, Serial No. 229,166

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in spring cushion structure for motor vehicles.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a spring cushion structure well adapted for use in the front seats of automobiles providing foot space for automobiles having close coupled front and rear seat arrangements and at the same time effectively supporting the upholstery.

Second, to provide a structure having these advantages which is quite economical, and is strong and durable in structure.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

- A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a structure embodying the invention, the upholstery being broken away and certain parts below the portion of upholstery illustrated being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section from front to rear on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. 1, however with only the rear body springs illustrated being of the pocketed type.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating details of the upholstery supporting strip at the rear of the body spring assembly.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, with certain parts Omitted showing details of the base structure and arrangement of springs, fragments of the springs being shown conventionally and without pockets as in the embodiments illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing details of the mounting of the rear rail.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the base frame comprises the front and rear members I and 2 and end members 33. The end members extend rearwardly of the rear base member 2 and have upturned arms 4 at their rear ends to which the rail 5 is secured. The rail 5 is desirably of angle section and receives the ends of the arms 4 which are welded thereto as indicated at 6. The base of the embodiment illustrated is provided with spring supporting bars 9 of angled section extending longitudinally and a grid Work of wires l0 and II.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1 rows of pocketed springs I2 are mounted upon the base, the bottom coils being secured to the bars 9 by means of clips or hog rings [3. The bars are notched at 9! to prevent slipping of the clips thereon. The tops of the springs are con- 2 nected by helical tie members [4. The top border frame 15 is secured to the tops of the border springs by means of clips It. This top border frame has end portions I! which extend rearwardly of the rear row of body springs for a purpose which will be pointed out. It will be noted that there is a substantial space between the rear body springs and the rear rail which is supported in rearwardly spaced relation to the rear body springs and in an elevated position relative to the base.

The flexible filler or upholstery supporting strip is of the embodiment illustrated is of flexible material such as fabric and has an elastic cord or strand I9 preferably of rubber, secured to its front edge by folding the front edge of the strip l8 around the strand l9 and securing it in position as by stitching or adhesive, the securing means not being illustrated. The rear end of the strip I8 is folded around the wire reinforcing strand 20, the folded edge being secured by suitable means. The front edge of the strip is secured by means of clips or hog rings 2| to the top coils of the rear row of bodysprings with the clips embracing the resilient cord or strand [9. The rear edge of the strip I8 is springably connected to the rear rail. In the embodiment illustrated this consists of the resilient strand or cord 22, preferably of rubber, and the tie wire 23 Which has rearwardly extending loops 24 secured to the rail. The elastic tie strand 22 is connected to the strip 18 by means of clips 25 which embrace the reinforcing wire 20 and to the tie wire 23 by similar clips 26, the clips 25 and 26 being alternated. The clips closely embrace the strand 22 to prevent substantial sliding movement thereof through the clips. This results in a plurality of resilient tie reaches 21 connecting the upholstery supporting strip [8 to the rail and supporting it for yielding movement under pressure applied at any point thereof. In effect, the strip 18 is an extension of the body spring assembly.

The border frame has arm portions 28 extend,- ing rearwardly from the body springs at the ends of the strip l3 and connected by clips 29 to the tie wire 23. In the embodiment illustrated the strands l9 and 22 are formed of one piece of rubber cord. The ends are connected by the clip 32, and the loops of the cord are connected by the clips 3| to the top border frame. This provides an effective connection for the upholstery supporting strip so that it yields with the body springs and at the same time effectively supports the upholstery indicated conventionally at 34 in Fig. 1 and provides foot space 35 at the rear of the body springs and below the portion of the upholstery supported by the strip I8. This results in a very effective spring assembly for front cushions having foot space below the rear part of the cushion.

The rail 5, in the embodiment illustrated, is further supportedby the angled struts 36 which are secured to the base at their forward ends. The struts are braced by the brace members 31.

I have illustratedand described my invention in a practical commercial embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain modifications or adaptations that might be desirable for particular body structures as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a spring structure the combination of a basecomprising, front, rear and end members, the end members being extended beyond the'rear base-member and'turned upwardly, a rear rail .mounted on said upturned ends in rearwardly spaced. elevated relation to the base, body springs mounted on saidbase, resilient ties connecting the tops-ofadjacent body springs, a flexible filler "stripdisposed between the body springs and the .rear rail andprovided with-a resilientstrand at .-its rearedge, the front edgeof the filler strip being secured to the top coils of adjacent body springs-3 by clips engaging thesaid'resilient strand, 'a tie'ro'd secured to said'rear rail, an elastic tie strand, clips alternatelysecuring the tie strand to saidtierod and'to the'wire strand of said filler strip, the clips being in clamped'engagement with thetie-strand and providing a plurality of relativelyshortreaches connecting the filler-strip to theitie rod, and'a top border frame comp-rising endmembers connectedat their rear ends'to said tiered, thezends-of'the elasticstrands being-connected to eachother and to'said-top border frame member.

'2. In .a spring structure the combination of a .base comprising, front, rear and vend members, 'the'end members'being extended beyond the rear base member and turned upwardly, a .rear rail mounted-on said upturned ends .in rearwardly .spaced and elevated relation to the base, body springs mounted on said base, a'fillerstriphaving a resilient strand at its front edge and a wire 'strand at its rear edge,'the resilient strand at the 'front edge of 'theffiller strip being connected to the-top coils of adjacent body springs and the wire strand being'resiliently connected .to the rear rail.

3. In aspring structure the combination of a base, body'springs mounted on'said. base, arear r-rail carried by said base in rearwardly spaced izrelation'to the "body springs, afiller strip connected:.-at its forward 'edgefto the adjacent body springs, an elastic tie strand alternately connected tosaid railjand to said filler strip providing a plurality of reaches connecting the filler 'strip to the rail, and a top border frame comprising .end members, the elastic strand secured to the front edges of the filler strip being extended beyondthe endsthereof and secured to said top border frame end members, the ends of said elastic tie strand being connected to said top border frame-end members.

4. 'Ina'spring structurethe'combination of a base, body springsmounted on saidbase, resilient ties connecting'thetops of adjacent body springs, "a rear rail carried by said base in rearwardly spaced relationtothe body springs, a filler strip provided wit-ha resilient strand at its front edge and a wire strandat its rear edge, the resilient strand being secured to the top coils of adjacent body springs and the wire strand being resilient- 1y connecte'dto :said :rear rail.

5. In a spring structure, the combination of a base, body springs carried thereby, a rear rail carried by the base and disposed in rearwardly spaced relation in the body springs, a flexible upholstery supporting strip disposed between the body springs and rail and connected to adjacent bodysprings, an elastic tie strand alternately connected at spaced points to said rail and to said strip to yieldingly support the strip and provide .foot space atthe rear of the body springs and below said rail, and a top border frame for the spring assembly including end members connected at their rear ends to said rail.

6. In a spring structure, the combination of a base, body springs carried thereby, a rearrail carried by the base and disposed in rearwardly spaced relation in the bodysprings and in approximately the plane of the tops thereof, .and an upholstery supporting strip disposed between-the body springs and rail, the front edge of the. strip being connected to adjacent body springs, its rear edge being springably connected to said rail to yieldingly support the strip and provide foot space at the rear of the body springs and below said rail.

7. A spring structure comprising a supporting frame, and body springs carried thereby, said frame including a rear rail disposed .in .rear- Wardly spaced relation relative to the tops of the body springs, an upholstery supporting strip disposed between the body springs and rail, the forward edge of the said strip being'connected to adjacent body springs, and an elastic tie:strand alternately connected at spaced pointstosaid rail and to said strip to yieldingly support the strip and provide foot space at the rear "of the body springs and belowsaid rail.

3. A spring structure comprising a frame,.and

an assembly of body-springs carried thereby,.said

frame including a'rearrail disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to the tops of the 'body spring assembly, and an upholstery supporting strip connected at its frontedge totthe'body spring assembly and resiliently connected at its rear edge to saidrailxto coact'with the body spring assembly in yieldingly supporting upholstery "disposed thereon and :to provide 'foot :space t'below the rear'portion of the upholstery.

9. A spring structure comprising aframe-and -main body'springs carried thereby, saidframein- 'cluding a rear rail disposedin rearwardly spaced relation to the body springs and in substantially the plane of thetops thereof, and an'upholstery supporting strip connected ."at'its front edge to adjacent body springs and springably connected at its rear edge to said'rail to coactwith the:body

springs in. yieldingly supporting upholstery disposed thereon and providing foot-space below the rear portion of the upholstery at the rear'o'f the body springs.

10. A spring structure comprising a frameand main body'springs carried thereby, said frame including a rear 'rail disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to thebody springs, andan up holstery supporting str'ipconnected 'at its front edge to adjacent body springs and springably connected at its rear edge to saidrail to coast with the body springs in yieldingly supporting upholstery disposed thereon and providing foot space below the rear portion of the upholstery at the rear of the'body springs.

WILLIAM A.

"Noreferenc'es cited. 

